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Welcoming new workers who aren’t exactly new – those have left the company and have come back – is increasingly becoming a more common phenomenon in businesses. Entrepreneurs are seeing the value of getting boomerang employees back on board, particularly those who have spent a considerable time and earned significant experience working in the company.

It’s easy to see how former employees have become familiar with the business, often making them better well-rounded and often the perfect fit for vacancies. The circumstance of a returning employee suggests that, on hindsight, the person was an asset, and should continue to be. A new person on the team will need time to completely get acquainted with, and adapt to, the business flow. New-hire trainings that a company will need to invest in may prove to be costly as well.

When dealing with boomerang employees, there needs to be a careful set of guidelines for a seamless process, TLNT emphasizes.

1. Stay in touch

One of the biggest mistakes companies make when top talent leaves is letting egos get in the way.Rather than giving the cold shoulder, offer to be a reference for any future opportunities they may have. Reach out to them a couple of times a year to catch up, or keep them on the email list of company announcements.

2. Rehiring

Boomerang employees that have been gone for a few months don’t necessarily have to be re-interviewed. Sometimes simply having a conversation with the leadership team will suffice.

However, for those that have been gone for more than a year, a formal interview process may be a good idea. Things can change after a year and it’s important for them to understand.

3. Preparing staff

As soon as the decision is made to rehire an employee, communicate it with staff immediately to avoid upsetting existing, loyal staff. Work especially closely with the team the boomerang employee is returning to. At the end of the day, be open and honest because you can’t rebuild relationships based on secrets.

4. Onboarding process

There’s a fine line between keeping staff aware of an employee coming back and bringing too much attention to it.If it’s been more than a year, the boomerang employee should go through the onboarding process as any new hire would.Have them retrain if necessary, and be sure you’re over communicating with the returning employee. Set expectations that there won’t be special treatment and warn them that they may be approached with questions.

Photo by Kompania Piwowarska